KO#7
Welcome to the 7th issue of the Knockout Your Sunday Scaries Newsletter, an every-other-week newsletter by me, Kristy Olinger, with a focus on workplace communication and self-development. I’m glad you’re here. Was this forwarded to you? Get yours: Subscribe here
Sunday, April 7, 2024
Hi there,
There is a single piece of research about communication that is miss-quoted or provided with insufficient context far more often than is it accurately referenced by ‘communication experts’ online (including myself in the very early years, yikes!).
It’s Mehrabian’s rule about the effects of verbal and non-verbal communication when expressing emotions and attitudes. You’ve probably seen a chart like this floating around in different places… without context.
Miss-interpretation: The meaning of a message is conveyed mainly by non-verbal cues rather than the meaning of the words.
Actual Finding: When communicating emotions and attitudes, the three elements of the message - words, tone of voice, and body language - contribute differently to how much the receiver of the message likes the sender. When there is incongruence between these three elements, the receiver may become confused or irritated by the conflicting message.
I’m raising this example for the two lessons that Mehrabian’s Rule brings:
Take care to be sure that your tone of voice and body language match the meaning of your message. Otherwise you will struggle to win people over to your way of thinking.
Question the data always… and maybe especially when it’s ubiquitous and generally accepted by large groups. An easy to digest pie chart is the kind of thing that people gravitate to in order to make sense of our complex world. It’s comforting. Additional context is important to understand the true meaning. Don’t blindly accept a surface level explanation.
Hit reply and say ‘hi’ - wether you’re an OG subscriber or just stumbled across this, I would love to hear from you. What do YOU want from a newsletter like this? How can I help you banish your Sunday scaries? Let me know.
📚 What I’m reading: Fleishman is in Trouble, by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
A novel about marriage, divorce, and parenthood that has won some accolades and was picked up as a mini-series on Hulu. I’m halfway through and holding out hope that after wading through what feels like way too many gratuitous descriptions of sexting, the book will reveal a deeper meaning about relationships and life.
Content Round Up - In Case You Missed It
Even if you’re following me on social media, the algorithm may or may not put my post in your feed. Here is what has launched over the last 2 weeks, in case you missed it.
When to Escalate to Your Boss - VIDEO
It can be hard to know when to continue to work on resolving an interpersonal problem or other barriers on your own vs. when to get your boss involved. This video gives some considerations to help you decide when it’s time to escalate.
What to do When there is Too Much to Do - VIDEO
This is a strategy you can use to focus your attention on the right tasks when you are overwhelmed with all that needs to get done.
You made it to the end! Congrats & thanks. ❤️ Have a great two weeks.
Stay Curious,
Kristy
P.S. Did you know I have a resource library of guides to help you with workplace communication? Find things like the phrase bank (a listing of phrases to use in common work situations), the Ummm Guide (how and when to reduce filler words), and work journal prompts (to help you build a reflection habit that turns your every day work situations in to an opportunity for growth).
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